In connection with mass merchandising displays, it is conventional to employ elongated label-holding strips, which are mounted on the forward edge of display shelving and extend along the full length of the shelving front edge. A commonly used form of such label holder has a shallow C-shaped cross section, with inturned flanges at the top and bottom and a shallow, concave central area extending between the flanges. Pricing and information labels are installed in the channel, with upper and lower edges of the labels being engaged by the flanges, and the body of the label being supported by the concave central portion of the cross section. This arrangement is convenient and allows for the easy positioning of the information/pricing labels horizontally along the front of the shelf, to be properly aligned with merchandise being displayed thereon.
Frequently, merchandisers like to highlight certain products, which may be a few of many displayed along elongated aisles formed by the shelving installations. For this purpose, it is known to employ sign clips, which can be installed in the label holder strip and provide for the mounting and display of special signs to feature special sales, new items or the like. Typically, such sign clips provide for the mounting of sign cards either parallel to the front edge of the shelf or at right angles thereto. The latter orientation is frequently desired for attracting the attention of a customer located down the aisle from the item being featured, such that the sign will catch the customer's eye when the customer looks down the aisle.
One advantageous form of such sign clip is marketed by Trion Industries, Inc., of Wilkes-Barre, Pa. under its product item No. P3XSHCLIP. Sign clips of this type are widely used for mounting signs at the front of ticket moldings provided along the front edges of product shelving. However, in connection with the use of such standard clips on certain types of conventional ticket moldings, particularly those of rolled steel, problems can arise from the fact that the upper groove of the molding is quite shallow and sometimes does not reliably retain the sign clip. For example, a downward blow against the top of the sign card might cause the upper portion of the sign clip to be snapped out of its shallow retaining groove.
Pursuant to one aspect of the present invention, a novel and improved form of sign clip is provided which mounts on the ticket molding by gripping the lower flange of the molding, rather than in the conventional way by engaging both the upper and lower flanges. The device of the present invention includes upwardly-opening mounting clip elements engageable with the back surface of the ticket molding and cooperating with opposed, rearwardly-extending abutment projections. The abutment projections in the mounting clips define a recess area which receives the lower flange of the ticket molding, and the abutment projections extend over the top of the lower flange of the ticket molding, firmly locking the sign clip in its installed position. The sign clip is thus reliably secured to the molding, exclusively at the lower portion thereof, and does not rely in any way upon the relatively shallow upper channel.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the sign clip device of the invention is designed to accommodate installation not only upon conventional ticket molding sections, but also upon modern label holder strips of plastic construction.
Certain popular forms of shelf edge label holders have been developed which do not include upper and lower flanges for engaging edges of the label and which therefore do not accept a conventional sign clip of the type described above. A particularly desirable form of the more modern style of label holder is shown in the Westberg U.S. Pat. No. 4,295,288. Label holding devices of this improved type comprise an elongated plastic extrusion forming front and back panels joined at the bottom. The extrusion forms a continuous, open-top pocket or carrier which can be opened against a resilient closing force to receive labels at any point along the length of the carrier. At least the front panel is of clear plastic, such that the label is readily visible to the customer and scanable by electronic devices.
A preferred form of the continuous label holder, shown in the Westberg U.S. Pat. No. 4,295,288 is secured along the upper portion of the back panel to a continuous mounting strip, which is secured at the front edge of the shelving. The lower portion of the label carrier projects substantially below the lower extremity of the mounting strip. By pushing against the lower portion of the carrier, the front and back panels are spread apart at the top to facilitate placement and removal of labels.
The sign clip of the present invention is especially adapted for mounting on the above described continuous extrusion style of label holder. The new clip includes a main body having features of a generally heretofore known type for receiving and retaining sign cards in either parallel or perpendicular relation to the continuous label holder at the front of the display shelving. The device includes a pair of upwardly opening mounting clips provided at the back of the device, arranged to receive projecting lower portions of the continuous label holder strip, providing stable and reliable support for the sign clip in the manner desired. The design of the improved sign clip device is such as to facilitate its economical manufacture by injection molding procedures, such that they may be produced and marketed at economical prices.
For a more complete understanding of the above and other features and advantages of the invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention and to the accompanying drawings.